Newt News

Version 2.7.4 fixes several bugs from 2.7.3, including setting the proper Openbox theme, as well as fixing a problem with the LXDE Control Center. LXCC has been improved, in addition to launching correctly every time.

2.7.4 includes a new, lighter theme, a modified version of Ninix. Both the modified and original themes are included.

This release is nearly bug-free. If you are running this on physical hardware, you may have to set up your sound card in YaST, but it is a simple process. Wireless networking works out of the box, as do most media types.

If you have any suggestions, please leave a comment below. Also, if you have a minute, please visit the Suggestions page to take a short survey.

2.7.3 introduces a new gtk/window theme, a modified version of a theme called Ninix. This theme compliments the Moka icon set, and is similar to the Numix Light theme. The original Ninix theme is also included.

Sadly, the LXDE Control Center has a bug in testing where it will not launch. This will be fixed in the next release, and only occurs occasionally.

Please leave your thoughts on the new theme in the comments below, and visit the Newt OS Website by clicking the link at the top of the page.

A new build of Newt OS LXDE is available for download. This release includes updates for both Firefox and Flash Player. Newt OS LXDE now uses the Moka Icon theme as default, replacing the Faenza icons, which are still included. Additionally, the Elementary icon theme now comes preinstalled for those who want to customize the desktop with a lighter theme. Finally, there have been a few cosmetic tweaks to the panel. This release doesn’t doesn't bring any major changes, but is moving towards a more refined desktop.

As always, I encourage you to leave comments either on this blog or on the SUSE Studio pages. User feedback is the most important source of information for a developer, without it, there is no clear direction to go. Also, please take the time to take a short survey by heading over to the Suggestions page under "More" in the navigation menu above.

Newt OS LXDE 2.7.1 is available for download. This version is based on a basic LXDE template created by Jon of Alteratio and SUdows. Jon also created the new update notification applet you will be asked to configure at login. This applet is a notification applet to alert users of software updates, and is integrated into the Apper package manager. Setting it up requires only a couple of minutes and an internet connection. Please let me know your thoughts on this release in the comments.

The newest release of Newt OS Gnome is ready for download. This release is especially exciting because it features a new base built from scratch that has better support for media, brings USB support, and fixes many bugs present in earlier releases. It also includes some new software.This release fixes 2 major bugs, one that prevented users from changing the wallpaper, and another that kept Gnome Tweak Tool from running. This release is the most customizable release of Newt OS Gnome.

Wallpapers are located in /home/newt/Pictures/ and can be accessed under the "Pictures" tab in the wallpaper changer in settings. This is because Gnome Shell does not have a standard place for system wallpapers.

As you log in, you will notice that the openSUSE logo under the user selection has been changed to a Newt OS logo. If anyone is looking for instruction on how to do this, please leave a comment below.

This is a great improvement to Newt OS, including many features that did not work in earlier releases. Newt OS Gnome now has the ability to use Gnome Shell Extensions, change themes, and be customized in ways not possible before. So go ahead, download a copy to try, and enjoy an OS that's more powerful than ever.

Since the last public release, Newt OS LXDE has undergone a major change in looks. The purpose of this change is to give Newt OS a more modern feel, while also keeping the desktop clean and crisp. The default GTK theme used is now SUSE Numix (source here), however the default openbox/window border theme is still Ozone3. (source here) The default desktop has been changed to an ocean view to compliment the darker theme, and the panel now has a more nutral color. The LXDM background has been set to just a plain dark blue to keep it simple. You can see these changes in the images below.

Of course, you can always swap out the default theme for another theme using the Customize Look and Feel app under System>Preferences.

Another change in Newt OS LXDE is the inclusion of Midori again. This release includes the most recent release, 0.5.10. Firefox is still included, so users have a choice of browsers. If you wish to use a browser such as Chrome or Opera, you can download those browsers from their websites.

These next changes are some of the most exciting. As you may know, Newt OS LXDE uses Openbox as its window manager. Openbox is lightweight and works very well with the LXDE desktop, but it has several limitations, including the lack of compositing and window spreading. To fill in these gaps in functionality, this release includes Compton and Skippy-XD. Compton is a standalone, lightweight window compositor. If you have used Newt OS, or any system with openbox as a window manager, you will notice a significant improvement in effects. Menus look better, and minimizing/closing windows is much smoother. The other program, Skippy-XD, is a basic window-spreading application. At this point, there is no keyboard shortcut or menu item to launch it, that will come in a later release. To launch it, run the command skippy-xd in the terminal. You will get a basic window spread like the picture below.

Some other new features in this release are the inclusion of 2 new themes; Zukitwo GTK and Openbox themes, and Elementary (egtk) Openbox theme. Also included is the dock application Plank for those who like to have a dock rather than or alongside a taskbar.

That's it for this release. If you have any questions or suggestions, don't hesitate to leave a comment below. Also, please take a minute to take a short (5 question) survey under more>Suggestions.

This release includes several improvements over the previous release. These include inclusion of most every gtk engine a user would ever need, resluting in the inclusion of a few more themes. Also included is the KDE application Apper, a package manager/updater that is much more attractive in comparison to YAsT. It has been recommended to me, and I will see how it works. Another inclusion in this release is that of Alacarte, a graphical menu editor, written for Gnome, but it should work with LXDE. The panel configuration has also been adjusted. Finally, possibly the most exciting change, is the inclusion of Synapse, a search applet that makes up for the lack of a native search function. Synapse can be run by clicking on the icon next to the menu button.

Please testdrive Newt OS and leave a comment below about anything good or bad. Feedback is critical to continuing development.